Electrical stimulation of body tissues can be used for treatment of many different conditions and ailments, including treating pain. For example, pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators have proven effective in the treatment of cardiac conditions. Spinal cord stimulation systems have been used as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of chronic pain syndromes. Deep brain stimulation has also been useful for treating refractory chronic pain syndromes and has been applied to treat movement disorders and epilepsy. Peripheral nerve stimulation has been used to treat chronic pain syndrome and incontinence, with a number of other applications under investigation.
In many instances, an electrode lead or a paddle with one or more stimulating electrode contacts may be inserted into the body to position the electrode contacts near the tissue to be stimulated. In many instances, a stylet, such as a metallic wire, is inserted into a lumen running through the center of the lead from the proximal end to the distal end to aid in insertion of the lead into the body. The stylet is intended to provide lead stiffness during positioning and anchoring of the lead in the body. Once the lead is positioned, the stylet can be removed and the lead then becomes flaccid.
However, use of a stylet can have several limitations. For example, the stylet may perforate the lead assembly and may thereby damage the lead and/or body tissue. Further, a stylet may apply stiffness to a limited volume of the paddle or lead. Therefore, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the present invention has been made.